Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022 | 6:10 p.m.
A local man whose parent called police and told them that their son was having a mental breakdown and “would fight with officers until they killed him” has been charged with arson and assault after an officer-involved shooting outside a flaming residence Tuesday, according to Henderson Police.
Officers responded to a report of a family disturbance involving a suicidal subject about 11:55 a.m. Tuesday in the 700 block of Vista Sereno Court. The caller said they had left the residence but indicated that their 19-year-old son, Mark Ellsworth, was still inside.
Black smoke and flames were observed coming from the residence when officers arrived. They made contact with Ellsworth, who exited the residence with a long gun rifle and pointed it at the officers but did not discharge it before the shooting began.
In an initial briefing on the incident Tuesday, police had wrongly reported that Ellsworth shot at the officers before the exchange of gunfire.
Ellsworth eventually went back into the residence and exited without the weapon, police said.
Henderson Fire Department responded to extinguish the house fire, and there were no injuries reported in the incident, police said.
Ellsworth is in custody at the Henderson Detention Center and has been charged with one count of first-degree arson and four counts of assault on a protected person with a deadly weapon.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, police said.
